The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 221: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BRONZE STATUE. 219 ‘And yet there were those motives,|of Glory. ‘Besides,’ she added, ab- and there is that extenuation !’ cried the | ruptly quitting her kneeling posture and Daughter of Glory, catching eagerly at) springing to her feet, ‘1 perceive that the words which had thus fallen from |my character is unredeemably damaged De Colmar’s lips, as eagerly as the af-|in your Excellency’s estimation—and friyhted wretch falling down a precipice | there remains no alternative forme but grasps at the slightest twig which his/ to bid you farewell for ever.’ desperate touch encounters. ‘but |! These words were uttered in ‘a low cannot ask you to believe that 1 am more | tone, full of concentrated feeling, and unfortunate than guilty, more to be piti-| yet with such an ambiguity of manner ed than blamed,’ continued Gloria, in a| and accompanied by so strange an ex- voice of rending anguish; ‘for cireum-| pression of countenance on the part of stances have combived—oh! cruelly | Gloria, that De Colmar was suddenly combined—to ruin me in your estima- impressed with the idea that she only tion; I, who sought to gain your golden | spoke and acted thus in order to mask opinion, and cared not what all the world | some ulterior and sinister intention. might think of me so Jong as you were| ‘ You speak of bidding me tarewell my friend.’ for ever,’ he said; ‘and yet Ll know not And once more did the unhappy heing | how this proposal on your side can be cover her countenance with her hands carried out. Kor, in the first place, am and give way to the most lacerating | I not pledged to the Enemy of Mankind anguish that ever wrung the female | to conduct you to Vienna /—and must heart. I not fulfil that condition of the infernal ‘Your friend! yes, Gloria, L sought;¢compact to the utmost of my power ! to romain your friend,’ cried De Col-| In the second place, what course is to mar; ‘but, holy God! what can I think | be adopted relative to the corpse of your of ycu now? Remember the scene in| victim ? and how shall we play the part the grove near Prague, it was one of; of hypocrites in the morning and wear bloodshed and death: behold thre scene | unruffled countenances when the dread which is now at hand, and again is it| moment comes at which a terrible ru- bloodshed and death?’ mor shall spread through the hostel that 6 Y es. oh yes my (sod But for-| a toul and diabolical murder has been ture me not!’ moaned Gloria, falling | committed during the night? Oh?! how upon her knees: then, clasping her | heavy and cruel is the task which the zands, and extending them thus united | Evil One has imposed upon me !~-and éowards De Colmar, she exclaimed ina| how intolerable now becomes the bur- tone of passionate entreaty, ‘ Hear me!| then that I have taken upon my shoul- hear me, for a moment—only ior a mo- | ders for thy sake, O Satanais © ment, I beseech you! ‘That I shall lose | And, flinging himself on a chair, Sir your friendship, I am aware; that [| Ernest de Colmar pressed his hand to must part trom your company, never tO his throbbing brow in order to steady behold you more, is likewise certain. | the thoughts that were agitating ‘so But I would not have you leave me with fiercely in his brain. the impression on your soul that Ll am ‘Do you regret all that you have done a cold-blooded murderess! No, deep, | for Satanais, because Gloria is so un- deep was the provocation which I re- worthy of your consideration ?’ asked ceived from that youth, who, in the|the lovely but wretched and guilty midst of his slumber, has thus passed | young lady, her manner all of a sudden into eternity, sent thither by my vin-| assuming an extraordinary meekness dictive weapon! For there are wrongs | and humility as she put that question in and outrages, Sir Knight, which would | a voice tremulous with the most pain- goud even an angel on to crime—if | ful suspense. ‘No Ernest, you cannot crime it be in such a case?’ be so unjust, so ungenerous,’ she con- ‘And those wrongs, Gloria—those | tinued, the timidity with which she outrages ?’ said De Colmar inqguiringly, commenced this address yielding to an but at the same time reguarding the un- | eloquent enthusiasm as she continued. happy lady with an increasing coldness | ‘Satanis is virtuous, spotless, and im- and sternness, augmenting almost to a| maculate, although Gloria’s hands be loathing and aversion—too real and too ; stained with blood! Satanais has in no true not to be apparent upon his coun- | way forfeited her claims upon your tenance. friendship—your remembrance—your ‘It were a long history—too long to| love; whereas Gloria is a being whom marrate now,’ exclaimed the Daughter|you can henceforth only view with ————— — — —— ee ——— me comicbooks.com